DIY Network

Overview of Grapes Kelly Givens shares the basic on grapes. From "Fresh From the Orchard" episode DFFO-110

Grapes have long been a symbol of joy and pleasure. Whether made into wine, cooked into jams and jellies or eaten fresh from the hand, they are a sure crowd-pleaser. Kelly Givens explains the difference between table grapes and wine grapes; then she demonstrates how to build a sturdy trellis using pressure-treated posts, turnbuckles and wire. After amending the soil and explaining grapes' growing requirements, she shows the best technique for planting bare-root grapevines.

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Overview of Grapes

Grapes that are eaten fresh from the hand are called table grapes or dessert grapes. They're usually fairly large and can be seeded or seedless. By contrast, most wine grapes are smaller and sweeter and have an abundance of seeds. Some grapes are multipurpose: they can be eaten fresh or made into wine.

Grapes grow on climbing vines. They climb by means of tendrils that wrap themselves around any vertical support. Grapevines are attractive; their leaves have a look of classical beauty, so they are often grown as ornamental climbers in the landscape to cover an arbor or pergola. But for maximum fruit production, grapes should be trained on trellises.

Creating a Trellis

Many books and most state cooperative extension services have detailed brochures on building trellises for grapes. There are many different trellis types, some of which are better suited than others for different parts of the country and for different grapes.

As a general rule of thumb, each grapevine needs 4' to 5' of trellis space, so a trellis that is 2' long can accommodate four grapevines. With good soil and proper care, a single vine can produce as much as 20 pounds of grapes.

On Fresh From the Orchard, we built a simple trellis that would suit the needs of most home grape-growers. The framework consists of 5"-diameter pressure-treated posts, each of which is 8' long. We set the posts 3' deep in the ground and anchored them in concrete. After the concrete cured overnight, we added eyebolts at 3' and 5' off the ground (figure A). Next we braced the posts by attaching a 6" turnbuckle to an eyebolt and running a length of 14-gauage wire from the post to rebar (figure B) that had been pounded into the ground at an angle several feet from the end posts. We ran wire between each end post and the middle post, using a turnbuckle on each length of wire, then repeated the process to create a lower trellis wire. To finish, we tightened the wires with the turnbuckles (figure C). As the wires sag with use over the years, the turnbuckles can be used to continue to tighten them.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Grape Varieties

The three basic categories of grapes are European, American and hybrid; most but not all wine grapes are European or hybrids. Table grapes can come from any of these three categories.

• European grapes (Vitis vinifera) are often referred to simply as vinifera, after their botanical name. Primarily grown in the western U.S., they need a long warm season. Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir are popular European wine grapes; Thompson seedless is a popular European table grape.

• American grapes (V. labrusca and others) are more winter hardy than European varieties and are grown mainly in the northeastern U.S. Concord is an example of a popular American grape.

• Hybrids are mostly crosses of vinifera and V. labrusca. Most of the wine-making grapes grown in the eastern U.S. are hybrids. Baco Noir, Seyval Blanc and Vidal are popular hybrids.

Grafted Grapes

	Figure D
	Figure E

Most grapevines sold in nurseries are grafted. Grafted grapevines consist of two parts: the scion (the upper part) and the rootstock (figure D). The scion determines the variety (Merlot, Flame, etc.); the rootstock helps determine the vine's cold hardiness, disease resistance, productivity and longevity.

Preparing to Plant Grapevines

Before you plant grapevines, it's a good idea to amend the soil. To do so, add a 2" layer of an organic soil conditioner over the top of the bed and work it 10" into the ground (figure E). Amendments help break up heavy clay soils and improve their drainage; they're also good for sandy soils, since the amendments improve the gritty texture.

When planting grapes, be sure to amend a wide bed and not just a small planting hole. The roots of the grapevines will quickly spread out well beyond the hole in which you initially plant them.

Before planting, you should also check the soil's pH level; grapevines do best with a pH level between 5.5 and 6.5. A soil test can reveal not only your soil's pH but also its fertility. Grapes prefer moderate soil fertility.

Planting

You can plant either bare-root or containerized grapevines. Both are best planted in the spring.

When you're planting bare-root vines, remove all the packing material and inspect the roots before you plant them (figure F). Prune off any bruised or damaged roots (figure G); it's always better to have a clean cut on a root than to have a torn or damaged spot.

Figure F

Figure G

Set the vines in a bucket of water to keep the roots hydrated while you work. Dig a planting hole a few feet in from one of the end posts and right under the trellis wire. Place the grape in the planting hole, spreading the roots out and down (figure H). The crown of the vine, where the stem flares out to the roots, should be about 1" below the surrounding soil line. Container plants should be planted about 1" deeper than they grew in the pot. Backfill the hole three-quarters of the way with soil (figure I); then add water to settle the soil around the roots. When the water settles out, finish filling the hole and water again (figure J).

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

Figure K

After planting, prune the vine back to one vigorous cane. Leave two or three buds on the cane (figure K) and let the cane develop into a vertical trunk. To help things along, you can stick a small bamboo stake into the ground near the vine. As the vine grows, tie it to the stake, which will act as a temporary trellis until the vine is tall enough to reach the bottom wire.